EuroTrip 2012: Germany and Austria

This is the opening post of memo/photo coverage of my trip to Europe. Together we will “travel” to five cities of the Deutsch Land ;)

Berlin, Germany

– where we will visit Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag at night and during the day,
– cross the “cold-war border” between East and West Berlin at Check Point Charlie,
– take U-Bahn train to see the famous murals on the remains of Berlin Wall,
– walk across Museum Island looking for “The Most Beautiful Woman in the World” Nefertiti,
– enjoy an evening sightseeing cruise on the River Spree,
– visit Helmut Newton’s exhibition, entitled ‘Private Property’, at Museum of Photography,
– and snap a few photos of always hot and top-popular street photography subject “Girls On Bicycles”

Berlin, Germany

Salzburg, Austria

– where we will visit the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
– walk by Getreidegasse Street into the baroque Old Town with its Cathedral and the festival quarter,
– get a restful break in Mirabell Palace Gardens,
– take an elevator up to Hohensalzburg Castle (uphill fortress) from where you will enjoy magnificent views of the city over the traditional Austrian beer and Wiener schnitzel :)
– enjoy Trick Fountains at Hellbrunn Palace,
– and have fun in a thunder storm at Salzburg Zoo.

Salzburg, Austria

Vienna, Austria

– where we will visit the historic center of Vienna,
– pray in the most important religious building in Austria’s capital- St.Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom),
– enjoy panoramic views of Vienna from the “Steffl”- 136 metres tall (445 ft) Bell Tower,
– watch Fire/Police Department “taking care” of striking teenagers lying on the ground :)
– listen to The Austrian Orchestra,
– and follow the portrait artists, marionette puppets manipulator, and other street performers.

Vienna, Austria

Hallstatt, Austria

– where upon arrival by a train we will take a ferry across the lake to a spectacular Alpine village,
– enjoy the architecture of Hallstatt, who’s culture dates back to the 8th century B.C.,
– literally walk through the streets, walls, and roofs of the Austrian oldest village,
– and take a railway cabin to a mountain station (at 838 metres height) for an amazing picture of mirror water Hallstaettersee lake lying at the bottom of massive Dachstein mountain range.

Hallstatt, Austria

Munich, Germany

– where we will visit Marienplatz (St.Mary’s Square)- the central square in the heart of Munich,
– enjoy the fountains of Karlsplatz,
– stop by Frauenkirche- The Catholic Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady, the landmark of Munich and the city’s largest church (it holds up to 20,000 people),
– explore many other old and wonderful buildings, churches and landmarks,
– and take a nice set of street photography pictures walking by Neuhauser Strasse and Kaufinger Strasse (Munich’s Shopping Avenue).

Looks like you had a pretty good mix of places, though really only the big tourist places. Next time you can go to the less touristed places and dive into this area. Germany is so regionally different that you can travel a while before running out of different stuff to experience.